Saturday, November 21, 2009

Bay Area Husker ENews 11-19-09

Hey Bay Area Husker Fans,

Whew!!! Another nail-biter! Way too close for comfort for 3+ quarters...especially after that razor-thin win over the Sooners the week before. It took the offense most of the game to finally get rolling for a couple of touchdowns that sealed the deal for a win over Kansas, allowing the Husker faithful to finally breath a little easier.

This weekend's contest against the KSU Wildcats has become a winner-take-all game for the Big 12 Northern division. A win here for the Huskers clinches the opportunity to play Texas (probably) in the Big 12 Championship game on December 5th. It also guarantees us a better tier of bowl games to be invited to, so there are lots of chips on the table this Saturday.

More good stuff below including a great article by Randy York, an update from Huskerpedia, NUz from the Alumni Association, some holiday travel tips and an interesting list of college football coach salaries (thanks Shari) at the end. Enjoy!

Go Big Red (White and Blue),Carl

P.S. Many thanks to all of you who sent condolences...my family truly appreciates your thoughts and prayers.

Watch Parties:

The game against KSU this Saturday will be broadcast by ESPN with coverage starting at 4:45. Because the game against Colorado will be on national TV (ABC) the day after Turkey Day, and most of you will probably be suffering from stuffing overload and unable to move, you should make the effort to join other Husker fans for this Saturday's game at your favorite watch site. I've called Jack's in Fremont and they will have a Prime Rib set aside for us, so come on out, grab a seat and order up some great pub grub while you watch the Huskers
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HUSKERS PLAY WILDCATS FOR BIG 12 NORTH TITLE...

The Matchup

Nebraska returns to Memorial Stadium for a Saturday night matchup with Kansas State, with the Big 12 North Division title on the line. It will also be Senior Night in Lincoln as 13 Cornhusker seniors will play before the home crowd for the final time. Game time for the contest is 4:45 p.m. PDT, with the contest nationally televised on ESPN.

The Huskers enter the game as winners of three straight contests, most recently a 31-17 win at Kansas last Saturday. The victory improved Nebraska to 7-3 overall on the season, and 4-2 in Big 12 Conference action.

Kansas State is just a half-game behind Nebraska in the North Division standings at 4-3 in Big 12 play and the Wildcats are 6-4 overall on the year. Saturday night’s game is the regular-season finale for the Wildcats, who not only will be playing for a Big 12 North crown, but also bowl eligibility.

The winner of Saturday’s game will pick up its fifth conference victory. Each of the other North Division teams have at least four conference losses, meaning Saturday’s victor will head to the Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship Game in Arlington, Texas on Dec. 5. Texas can clinch the South Division crown with a win over Kansas on Saturday in Austin.

The Series

Nebraska has a commanding 76-15-2 all-time edge in the series between the two schools. The Cornhuskers have a 41-8 advantage in Lincoln, including wins in 19 of the past 20 meetings at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska has won four straight overall in the series after K-State won five of seven meetings between 1998 and 2004.

The Coaches

Nebraska: Bo Pelini (Ohio State, ‘90) owns a 17-7 record in his second season with the Huskers. Pelini guided Nebraska to nine wins in his first season as head coach, joining Bob Devaney, Tom Osborne and Frank Solich as the only Nebraska coaches to win nine games in their first season leading the Cornhuskers. Prior to taking over as the Huskers’ head coach, Pelini served as defensive coordinator at NU, Oklahoma and LSU. Previously, he had stints as an NFL assistant with San Francisco, New England and Green Bay.

Kansas State: Bill Snyder (William Jewell, ‘63) is in the first season of his second stint as Kansas State’s head coach and his 18th year overall as the Wildcats coach. He has a 142-73-1 record with KSU, including a 5-12 mark against Nebraska. Snyder retired following the 2005 season, but returned to KSU for the 2009 season.

Senior Night at Memorial Stadium

Nebraska will honor its senior class before the start of Saturday night’s contest at Memorial Stadium. The 2009 group of 13 seniors is the smallest in recent memory for Nebraska. Despite the small numbers, this class is a veteran group, including...

· The 2009 senior class includes eight players in their fifth year in the program (Brooks, Cammack, Dillard, Harvey, Hickman, O’Hanlon, Suh, Turner) and one player in his sixth year with the Cornhuskers (Christensen).

· Four members of the senior class were originally walkon players who have earned scholarships, including Cammack, Koehler, Meyer and O’Hanlon.

· The 13 seniors come from eight states, including five homegrown Huskers, two players from California and one each from Virginia, Missouri, Oklahoma, Maryland, Oregon and Tennessee.

· Nebraska will also honor junior Blake Lawrence who made the decision to give up football earlier this fall after a series of concussions. Lawrence will pick up his degree this December, graduating in just 2 1/2 years.

· Senior safety Rickey Thenarse is hopeful of receiving a medical redshirt and returning for the 2010 season, and will not be announced on Senior Night. Thenarse was lost for the season with a knee injury in the first quarter of Nebraska’s Sept. 26 contest against Louisiana-Lafayette.

Divisional Crown on the Line

The topsy-turvy 2009 Big 12 North Division race has crystalized. The winner of the Nebraska-Kansas State tilt in Lincoln will head to Arlington, Texas on Dec. 5 for the Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship Game. The winner of the game will pick up its fifth Big 12 win, and each of the other four North teams has already suffered four or more losses.

· A Nebraska win would give the Huskers their fifth appearance in the league title game in the first 14 seasons of the league. Nebraska represented the North in the game in 1996, 1997, 1999 and 2006. The five Big 12 title game appearances would likely be tied with Texas, which will clinch their fifth Big 12 Championship Game appearance with one win in its final two games. Only Oklahoma (7) has played in more Big 12 title games.

· In addition to its appearances in the conference title game, Nebraska has also tied for the North Division crown in 2001 and 2008.

· Kansas State would make its fourth Big 12 Championship Game appearance with a win, tying Nebraska and Colorado for the most appearances among North Division schools.

Nebraska Looking for Four Consecutive Big 12 Wins

Nebraska enters Saturday’s game with a three-game winning streak in Big 12 action, having won road games at Baylor and Kansas, sandwiched around a home win over Oklahoma. The three-game conference winning streak marks just the third time since 2001 that Nebraska has won three straight conference games.

· A win on Saturday would give NU four straight Big 12 wins, matching the four straight wins spanning the last three games of last season and this year’s win at Missouri. The last time Nebraska won four straight Big 12 games in the same

They Remember What You Do in November

Last season, Nebraska clearly played its best football in the month of November, winning its final three regular season games against Kansas, Kansas State and Colorado.

In 2009, Nebraska again appears to be hitting its stride as fall begins to turn to winter. The Huskers have defeated Oklahoma and Kansas in November to move atop the Big 12 North standings.

· Nebraska owns a 5-1 record in games played in November under Head Coach Bo Pelini. Nebraska’s lone November loss under Pelini was at No. 4 Oklahoma on Nov. 1, 2008.

· NU is 7-1 under Pelini in games played after Nov. 1, including last year’s Jan. 1 Gator Bowl victory and the 2003 Alamo Bowl win over Michigan State when Pelini was the interim head coach.

Nebraska’s five-game November win streak is the program’s longest since winning 19 straight games in November from 1992 to 1998.

Huskers Go for Five Straight vs. KSU

Nebraska holds a dominant 76-15-2 edge in the all-time series against Kansas State. However, the Wildcats recently had a run of success, winning five of seven meetings between 1998 and 2004. Nebraska has returned to its winning ways against the ‘Cats by posting victories in each of the past four meetings.

· A win on Saturday night would be NU’s fifth straight over the Wildcats, marking the Huskers’ longest current win streak against a Big 12 North foe and second-longest against any Big 12 opponent (Baylor).

· A fifth straight win would be the sixth time in the series Nebraska has won five or more consecutive games against Kansas State, including nine straight from 1911 to 1924, five straight from 1936 to 1940, 10 straight from 1943 to 1952, eight straight from 1960 to 1967 and 29 straight from 1969 to 1997.

November Night Games Rare at Memorial Stadium

The prime time contest on Saturday will be Nebraska’s second straight night home game following its 10-3 win over Oklahoma on Nov. 7. Those two contests are Nebraska’s first home night games in November since a 2002 game against Texas. The NU-Kansas State game this Saturday will mark just the fourth November home night game in school history (also vs. Kansas in 1992).

· Nebraska has had outstanding overall success when playing under the lights at Memorial Stadium. Since the first night game in Lincoln in 1986, Nebraska is 29-5 under the lights at home, including 2009 victories over Florida Atlantic, Louisiana-Lafayette and Oklahoma. Nebraska’s five losses in home night games have all come against teams who won at least 10 games in that season (Washington, 1991; Texas, 2002; USC, 2007; Virginia Tech, Missouri, 2008).

· The Huskers’ dominance at night in Lincoln has been impressive, as 23 of the 26 home night wins have been decided by 13 points or more.
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NU-KSU GAME TO BE SHOWN ON ESPN...

Nebraska's Saturday night game against Kansas State will be televised nationally on ESPN, the network and the Big 12 Conference announced on Sunday morning. Kickoff from Memorial Stadium is set for 4:45 p.m. Pacific.

The winner of Saturday night's game will advance to the Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship on Dec. 5 in Arlington, Texas, against the South Division champ. Texas can claim the South Division with a victory in one of its final two games against Kansas and Texas A&M.

Nebraska's final two regular season games can be seen nationwide, as the Huskers Nov. 27 matchup at Colorado will be carried nationally on ABC with a 12:30 p.m. (PT) kickoff.
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HELU CARRIES HUSKERS TO VICTORY IN LAWRENCE...

Lawrence Kan. - Following a win over No. 20 Oklahoma last Saturday in Lincoln, the Huskers came into Kansas' Memorial Stadium and won their third Big 12 Conference road game of the year, 31-17, moving the Huskers to 7-3 overall and 4-2 in conference.

The game was highlighted by Niles Paul and Roy Helu Jr., who each made big plays when the Huskers needed them most.

Paul caught four passes for a career-high 154 yards and also returned two kickoffs for 72 yards, including a fourth-quarter return into KU territory that set up the Huskers' go-ahead score.

For Helu, he carried the ball 28 times for 156 yards and scored three times. But more importantly, 82 of Helu's yards came in the fourth quarter, including touchdowns runs of 20 and 14 yards.

The Huskers used a balanced attack, rushing for 214 yards on 42 carries, while Zac Lee completed 13-of-21 passes for 196 yards, giving the Huskers 410 yards of total offense.

On the other side of the ball, the Blackshirts held the KU rushing attack in check, as the Jayhawks were held to 99 yards on 29 carries. Quarterback Todd Reising was forced to put the ball in the air 41 times, only completing 19 passes for 236 yards.
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TEN REASONS WHY NEBRASKA IS EMERGING AS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH...

Randy York's N-sider

Lawrence, Kan. - Welcome to Nebraska Football Anatomy 101, where we will dissect a 2009 Husker football season a little differently than everyone else.

To join this class, there is one mandatory requirement. Forget about that 9-7, eight-turnover loss to Iowa State and how it affected the way this state, this conference and the national media chose to view Nebraska ... as a bit of a non-factor in a game where the Huskers, last time I checked, still rank among the top five college football programs of all time.

When the media would rank the Huskers as low as ninth among the league's 12 teams in weekly assessments, they all seemed to be saying the same thing - Nebraska, you have definitely improved, but you still have a long way to go.

And that may well be true, but today's "lecture" isn't looking at every rut in the road and every flaw on the stat sheet.

No, today we have chosen to focus on how Nebraska's coaches and players - and all those who support them - reacted to perhaps the strangest game in the history of Memorial Stadium.

Are you a Bo-liever?

Fortunately, they Bo-lieve in the Pelinis and the Process, and when the football gods took one away from them inside Memorial Stadium, they replaced that upset to Iowa State with one of their own against Oklahoma.

You could see some throwback offense in that OU game, but when it was done more for field position than points, people still found a way to grouse about an offense they thought was on a different planet than the Blackshirts.

Well guess what? In a 31-17 win here Saturday night over Kansas, it was Nebraska's offense that saved the day, scoring a pair of touchdowns and converting a two-point conversion after KU took a 17-16 fourth-quarter lead.

"We've bailed them out and today they bailed us out," Husker linebacker Phillip Dillard said.

If anyone knows the importance of character, it's Dillard, who had to scale a mountain just to get the chance to play as a senior.

Now that the offense has seen what creativity and chemistry can do when it's combined with character, watch out. Nebraska just may have the balance needed to excel in all three categories it takes to win - offense, defense and special teams.

Maybe it's time to focus on what Nebraska has instead of what it doesn't have. With that mind, here are 10 reasons that can enable Nebraska to emerge as a force to be reckoned with:

1) Bo Pelini's ability to peak Nebraska at the right time. Let's see. Nebraska is 2-0 in November this year and 6-1 in November in Bo Pelini's career as head coach. With Saturday night's nationally televised Nebraska-Kansas State game at Memorial Stadium and the following week's nationally televised regular-season finale at Colorado, both November games, you have to like Nebraska's chances. Oh, almost forgot. Win the K-State game Saturday night, and the Huskers are in Cowboy Stadium Dec. 5 for the Big 12 Championship, most likely against Texas. Maybe it's time to point out that Pelini also has led Nebraska to a December win over Michigan State in a 2003 Alamo Bowl as an interim head coach and a January win over Clemson in the Gator Bowl.

2) Shawn Watson's ability to tap into a Hall of Fame coach's playbook. You should have seen how emotional Nebraska's offensive coordinator was outside KU's Memorial Stadium after the Huskers played their most complete offensive game in a 4-2 conference start. Watson became emotional describing the help he received incorporating a power formation that includes an I-back, a fullback, two tight ends and a wide receiver - a formation that enabled Zac Lee to impersonate three former Husker quarterbacks (Tommie Frazier, Brook Berringer and Scott Frost) on a 37-yard touchdown pass to Niles Paul. Lee sprinted left on an option play, pulled up and pivoted backwards, then found Paul behind two safeties for a 37-yard touchdown pass. Credit Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne for dropping off an old tape for Watson to consider. Watson choked up talking about having a Hall-of-Fame coach one floor up from his office. "He's a beautiful human being. I love the guy," Watson said after several reporters went on to their next interview stop. "Coach Osborne never imposed anything. He just gave me some tape for us to think about. That's the beauty of the man. He lets us figure out on our own how to make it work."

3) Watson's and his staff's decision to simplify the offense and maximize its playmakers. Tom Osborne isn't the only one who has helped Watson modify an offensive game plan that may have been conceptually sound when the season started, but changed dramatically when first-year quarterbacks struggled, an offensive line battled nagging injuries, the top two running backs went down (forcing a new starter to come up from the scout team) and the receiving corps needed to learn the playbook and how to block before they could be difference-makers on the field. "It took humility for Coach Watson to throw out what he planned and concentrate on what we could get done with what we have," said NU Tight End Coach Ron Brown. "We all had to get out of our comfort zone," Watson said. Brown added: "It really was like a scene out of the move 'Apollo 13' when the minds at Mission Control had to come up with more creative techniques to get the space shuttle home. We had to figure out a way to move the ball and win some games. We hope this puts us on a different path to deal with all the trials and tribulations we've had."

4) A team first relationship between quarterbacks Zac Lee and Cody Green. "Zac came in and managed a good game against Kansas," Watson said, "but you know what? When Cody was the starter for two games, Zac was his biggest supporter and did everything he could to help Cody. The same is true of Cody. When we put the ball back in Zac's hands, Cody has done everything he can to support him. They have great respect and admiration for each other. They both want to win, and they'll do whatever it takes to help us win."

5) A willingness by Roy Helu Jr. and Jacob Hickman to put the offense on their shoulders. Forgive the pun, especially when you see a giant ice bag on Helu's right shoulder at Saturday night's press conference while he's trying to describe his 156-yard, three-touchdown performance against KU. It's interesting that the fortunes of NU and KU dipped when Helu and Jake Sharpe battled injuries. Sharpe didn't bounce back, even though he claimed he was 100 percent. Helu has recovered with back-to-back stellar efforts against OU and KU. "I don't know how he does it," center Jacob Hickman said. "You know he's hurting, but he'll still fly over everybody if he has to, to get what we need." Same could be said for Hickman, the up-front leader who had a world-class hip pointer when he tried to chop block OU's Gerald McCoy a week earlier. With a bruise that swelled to the size of a small bowling ball, Hickman could barely get out of bed a week earlier. Yet he battled gallantly again Saturday, setting the tone for what could follow as the Huskers find their niche.

6) The emergence of Niles Paul as one of the Big 12's foremost playmakers. You all saw it on ABC. Paul catches four passes for 154 yards. The effort includes catches of 35, 37, 37 and 45 yards - the sixth highest total in Nebraska history. His first reception set up a touchdown and his third and four receptions set up a pair of field goals. Paul's confidence may have been momentarily shaken in that Iowa State game, but he is back with purpose and passion. Saturday night, he had a career-high 244 all-purpose yards. His spirited kickoff return after KU took the lead is certainly one of the game's most critical plays. No one's comparing Paul to Johnny Rodgers yet, but he's building a resume that could make him a crucial all-purpose component on a championship-contending team. "He's one of the toughest players we have on this football team," NU Receiver Coach Ted Gilmore said Saturday night. :"We all knew he could catch the ball, but we've challenged him to become a physical blocker. He's taken on that challenge, and it makes him more dangerous as a playmaker."

7) Carl Pelini's willingness to refresh the legs of a physically drained defense. No one will understand the physical and emotional investment Nebraska's Blackshirts made to hold Oklahoma to three points in a game the Huskers needed to transform their season. A week later, Nebraska's defensive coordinator didn't have to be prodded to make an observation. "We looked tired today," he said. "Bo and I talked after the game. It's late in the season, and we have to rethink how we need to prepare this team physically for Kansas State. We have to make sure we're fresh." The good thing is the Husker defensive staff isn't facing what stared the offensive staff in the face. There will be no Apollo 13 scene to deliver this solution. A national championship defensive coordinator. who is now a head coach, will meet with his brother and other members of the staff and find a way for the Blackshirts to be the Blackshirts on Saturday Night Live in Lincoln.

8) The magic leg of Alex Henery. It's November, isn't it? Time for the nation's best field goal kicker to warm up his leg to put points on the board and pin teams inside their own 20. Saturday night, Henery connected on all three field goal tries - a 25-yarder in the first quarter, a 33-yarder in the third quarter and a 38-yarder in the fourth quarter. All boomed like a cannon through the uprights and would have been good from much longer distances. Henery is now 15-of-18 on field goals this season and 41-of-47 in his Husker career. He was expected to kick another one after the Jayhawks took their first lead of the game at 17-16. "I thought I'd have another one there at the end, but I was glad we got another touchdown," Henery said, preferring to see a new spark to an offense that finished with 214 yards rushing, 196 yards passing and 410 yards total.

9) A road warrior mentality on this football team. Coaches and players can't look past K-State to a road game in Boulder, another one in Arlington or a third one in a bowl game. But you can. This team has a knack for playing well on the road. The Huskers now have four straight road wins in the Big 12. How many of you last summer saw losses in Columbia and Lawrence? We know. We know. You didn't have back-to-back losses at home figured in either. But football is a crazy game, and it requires a survivalist mindset. Nebraska has that mindset.

10) The greatest fans in college football. Do any interview with any player or any coach, and one thing you know they all count on is you. Win or lose, they know you will support them like no other team gets supported in college football. So get your game face on. Saturday night's crowd needs to mirror the electricity that you plugged in for Oklahoma. Bo said it was the best he'd heard since he's been here. Can you top it for Nebraska against Kansas State for the Big 12 North title? A proven, veteran, Bill Snyder, against Bo, an equally passionate leader in his second year as head coach. Nebraska has committed to an allotment of 12,000 tickets to a Big 12 championship game, if the Huskers qualify. Deadlines are looming for that, and bowl plans come on the heels of the game. Right now, those plans could range from the Holiday to the Cotton to a BCS date. They will rise or fall on the outcomes of the last two regular-season games.
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NU LEADS BIG 12 IN EXHAUSTED ELIGIBILITY GRADUATION RATE...

Nebraska athletic teams continue to pace the Big 12 Conference in the classroom, leading the Big 12 in the exhausted eligibility graduation rate for the seventh consecutive year with an impressive 94 percent rate. Several Nebraska teams also earned strong scores in the Graduation Success Rate (GSR) Report released Wednesday by the NCAA.

Nebraska continues to set the pace in the Big 12 in terms of Exhausted Eligibility graduation rates. The exhausted eligibility rate surveys the graduation rate of scholarship student-athletes in 10 incoming freshman classes who complete their eligibility at the university. Nebraska's exhausted eligibility rate has improved 22 percentage points since the inception of the rate in 1991-92.
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SUH NAMED BRONKO NAGURSKI TROPHY FINALIST...

Nebraska senior defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh has been named one of five finalists for the 2009 Bronko Nagurski Trophy. The award is presented annually to the nation's top defensive player and is sponsored by the Charlotte Touchdown Club and the Football Writers Association of America.

Joining Suh among the finalists for the award are Iowa linebacker Pat Angerer, Tennessee safety Eric Berry, Alabama nose tackle Terrence Cody and TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes. The winner of the 2009 Nagurski Trophy will be announced on Dec. 7 at a banquet in Charlotte.
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HUSKERS IN THE NFL - WEEK 10...

Lincoln - A total of 20 former Huskers saw action during Week 10 of the 2009 NFL season, while one player was off with a bye.

On the road in Oakland, Mike Brown and Demorrio Williams were key contributors in the Chiefs’ 16-10 win over the Raiders. Brown caused the Raider passing game fits all day, as he intercepted two passes and deflected another two balls. Williams totaled ten tackles on the day, including six solo stops.

Former Huskers Sam Koch and Fabian Washington played big roles in the Ravens’ 16-0 shutout of the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football. Koch pinned the Browns deep in their own territory all night, as the Seward, Neb., native booted seven balls for a totals 293 yards, with no touchbacks and four punts downed inside the Cleveland 20-yard line. Washington produced two solo stops, including a tackle for loss, helping the Ravens’ defense hold Cleveland to just 160 yards of total offense.

Three former Huskers met in St. Louis, as the New Orleans Saints stayed unbeaten with a 28-23 win over the Rams. For the Saints, Scott Shanle produced six solo stops, while Carl Nicks paved the way for the offense to accumulate 420 yards. On the other side of the ball, Josh Brown was 2-2 on extra points and knocked home his lone field goal attempt from 32 yards out.

2010 Pro Bowl

Fan are also encouraged to vote for former Huskers for this years' Pro Bowl. Below is a list of players on the ballot and here is the link to vote.

Banwarth keyed a stifling defensive effort by Nebraska (20-6, 13-4 Big 12), collecting 32 digs, establishing school and building records for a three-set match. The performance not only tied her career best, set earlier this season in a five-set win over Minnesota, but was the most by any player in the NU Coliseum since 1987.

Banwarth’s effort highlight one of the best defensive efforts of the year, as Nebraska held Baylor to a season-low .089 team hitting percentage. The Huskers had at least 10 digs, as outside hitters Tara Mueller and Hannah Werth added 10 apiece for NU, while Kori Cooper totaled a season-high five blocks, including three solos, as NU totaled nine blocks on the night.

While Banwarth’s floor defense carried the night, the Huskers received another strong performance from Lindsey Licht, who totaled a match-high 13 kills on .522 hitting. It was the second straight match Licht hit over .500 and the fourth time in the last five matches the junior right side attacker led the Huskers in kills. Mueller joined Werth in double figures with 13 kills in picking up her seventh double-double of the season.
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Nebraska’s middles keyed a big offensive night for the Big Red, as the Huskers (19-6, 12-4 Big 12) hit .372 against Texas A&M in picking up its third straight win. It is the third straight match Nebraska has hit .300 or better, as John Cook collected his 300th career win at Nebraska.

Senior All-American Kori Cooper topped Nebraska with 13 kills on a career-high .765 hitting, while Brooke Delano totaled 12 kills on .556 hitting and five of the Huskers’ eight blocks. It marked the fourth time this year that both Delano and Cooper have finished with at least 10 kills.

Right side hitter Lindsey Licht continued her strong play, tying Cooper for match-high honors with 13 kills on a season-best .619 hitting and three block, as the trio combined for 38 kills and just two errors on 56 swings. All-American Sydney Anderson dished out 47 assists and added two blocks, as Nebraska hit .450 or better in each of the last two sets to avenge a four-set loss in College Station in September.
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POWELL HONORED WITH ESPN THE MAGAZINE ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN STATUS...

Senior forward Shay Powell has been named to the 2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Women's Soccer Team, earning Second-Team accolades after a prolific career with the Huskers both on and off and field.

A native of Dallas, Texas, Powell is one of only 32 women's college soccer players to receive a spot on Academic All-America team, which is selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 and be nominated by the school's sports information directors and coaches.

Powell has been a standout student-athlete at Nebraska since she joined the Husker soccer program in the fall of 2006. Since then, Powell has been named to the First-Team Academic All-Big 12 team all three years she has been eligible (2007, 2008, 2009) and earned a spot on the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll all six semesters (Spring: 2007, 2008, 2009; Fall: 2006, 2007, 2008). She holds an impressive 3.92 grade-point average as a pre-law psychology major and plans to graduate in May 2010

For head coach John Walker, Powell led the Huskers in scoring as a sophomore and junior, compiling 12 goals and six assists in 2007 and 2008. She had four goals and five assists as a senior in 2009 and started 17 games, missing only a week of action in mid-September due to injury. Through her career, Powell played in 72 games, earning a start 53 times, while finishing with 17 goals and 11 assists (45 points).

Powell is part of Nebraska's long-standing tradition of academic excellence, as the Huskers boast more Academic All-Americans than any school in the country. Entering the 2009-10 school year, Nebraska had a nation-leading 269 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans across all sports.
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NEWS FROM HUSKERPEDIA...

The Huskers are in control of their own destiny for the Big 12 title with a win this weekend over Kansas State at home. It will be our last home game tailgate of the season and we will be serving brats from Jerry'sHometown Meats in Fremont and red beans and rice, jambalaya, and dirty rice from Mudbugz in Valley. Please reply to this email with a head count if you plan on attending so we have enough food and beverage.

The NU-OU Heisman tour was a success and they are currently getting the second and final round of balls autographed. Out of 1,000 footballs authorized by the Heisman committee less than 100 are available to the general public for Christmas delivery and only available on HuskerPedia. They will be ready to ship on Dec. 8th in time for Christmas delivery. You can order yours now at this link.

A new feature on the HuskerPedia BBS is the Marketplace forum where registered users can post want ads and items for sale. There are currently two unique six Heisman autographed auction items there now at this link.

Last year we auctioned off 1962 Missouri game program covers with proceeds going to the NU athletic department. This year they will be auctioned off at Huskers.com with co-operation of Randy York who has secured additional signatures of team captain Dwain Carlson and Tom Osborne in addition to captain Dennis Claridge and Bill "Thunder" Thornton. There are less than 30 copies left signed by Thunder who passed away in December of 2008. Link to auction article is here.

The special offer for the Husker Rewards Card through the Nebraska Alumni Association has been extended to Feb. 28, 2010. You can support the alumni association and get great Husker rewards with the card. Details are here.

Once we beat Kansas State at home this week we will be traveling to Colorado with the Sidetrack Band for their first ever concert in Boulder. The VA Tech Sidetrack concerts sold out so insure that you will be part of this historic first. Johnny Rodgers will also be with us at the game in Boulder for the Thursday and Friday concerts at the Harvest House in the Millineum Hotel in Boulder. Details are at this link.

Don't forget to vote for Suh for Heisman in the ESPN poll. A permanent link for voting is on the front page of HuskerPedia below the schedule in the right hand column. Vote every day. Looking forward to seeing some of you at the K-State tailgate. As always, thanks for your support of HuskerPedia and GO BIG RED!

Post-season football is in the air with Nebraska still a possible participant in the Big 12 Championship game as well as nearly every bowl game with a Big 12 tie-in. The Nebraska Alumni Association is your source for up-to-date bowl travel and ticket information. Demand will be extremely high and space limited, so call 888-353-1874 or click here to secure your spot.

Only Two Weeks Left

There's still time to nominate an accomplished Nebraska alum – or family – for one of the Nebraska Alumni Association's 2010 awards: Alumni Achievement Award, Distinguished Service Award, Alumni Family Tree Award, Outstanding International Alumnus Award or the Young Alumni Award. Click here to read the details and submit a nomination – by Dec. 1.

2009 Holiday Ornament

In honor of the 20th anniversary of the Lied Center for Performing Arts, the 2009 UNL holiday ornament features the center in brass with a 24-karat gold finish and silk-screened color. It measures approximately 3 inches in diameter and comes in a gift box. This three-dimensional, limited-edition ornament is offered to members of the Nebraska Alumni Association at a special price of $20, including shipping, handling and sales tax; nonmembers pay $25. To order, call (888) 353-1874 or (402) 472-2841 or e-mail the Nebraska Alumni Association.

Husker Basketball in Vegas

Enjoy a pre-holiday break in Vegas and cheer the Husker basketball team as they play in the Las Vegas Classic tournament, Dec. 22 & 23, 2009. Get ticket information by calling 8008BIGRED and special room rates from the Venetian Hotel. Then join Coach Doc Sadler and other Husker fans at a pre-game event for food and plenty of Husker spirit. Event date and time to be posted as it becomes available.

Heisman Hoopla

Six Heisman Trophy winners (three from Nebraska; three from Oklahoma) autographed footballs and photos at the Wick Alumni Center the afternoon before the NU/OU contest – just before another successful Football Friday. You have one last chance to enjoy the festive Husker atmosphere and pre-game chalk talk at the last Football Friday on Nov. 20, from 4:30 to 7 p.m.

SpiritFest Reunions Growing

And then there were six ... The number of reunions planned in conjunction with the 2010 Husker SpiritFest/Alumni Weekend, April 15-17, 2010, is growing. The Class of 1960, UNL Libraries Student Employees, Alumni of Color, Cather Hall 1960s, Love Memorial Hall and Sigma Kappa Sorority will all hold reunions. Gather your college cohorts and jump on the reunion bandwagon by contacting Shelley Zaborowski at the Nebraska Alumni Association.

The Right Card

Quick! Check your wallet or purse. Are you carrying a credit card with a picture of Memorial Stadium on it? If you haven't gotten it lately, look closer. Thousands of Husker fans still have the old Chase Husker card. That program expired this spring and it's no longer supporting the alumni association. If you want part of every dollar you spend to come back and support the student and alumni involvement programs run by the Nebraska Alumni Association with great benefits and NO extra cost to you – the Husker Rewards Visa is the card to carry. Go to www.huskerrewards.com to learn more.

UNL Efforts Pay Off

UNL's aggressive pursuit of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding is paying off. UNL faculty were awarded $15.7 million in federal grants funded by federal stimulus legislation through Sept. 30, the end of the first quarter of record-keeping for ARRA awards. Read more.

Perlman Heads NCAA Board

The NCAA Division I Board of Directors has elected UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman to chair the group beginning at the close of the April 2010 meeting. Perlman also serves as chairman of the Bowl Championship Series Presidential Oversight Committee and as a member of the Big 12 Conference Board of Directors. Congratulations Chancellor. Way to Stand Up For Nebraska!
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Here are the three biggest mistakes people make when flying around the holidays –

The day before and the Sunday after Thanksgiving are often two of the busiest air travel days of the year. Each year about this time I put together my list of suggestions that hopefully make your travel around the holidays a little easier. Here are the three biggest mistakes people make and my recommendations: Mistake #1 Wrapping your Christmas gifts is a big NO-NO. The TSA agent will most likely have to open them up for security reasons. Also, carrying-on foods like salad dressing, gravy and cranberry sauce will be confiscated so ship them ahead or put them in your checked bag. Cookies, cakes and pies, however, can be carried on (but you should make sure to send me samples in advance so they are tested for quality). Mistake #2 Arriving at the airport at the last minute is a big mistake. Lines will be extra long this time of year as many first-time travelers take extra time to check-in and clear security. We recommend arriving 90 to 120 minutes before departure time if you are traveling during the peak travel days. Mistake #3 Using your nickname on your ticket will cause headaches. The TSA's new Secure Flight program is being phased in and will require that the name on your ID match your reservation exactly, as well as extra information such as date of birth and gender. We recommend that you go to our website www.executivetravel.com 24 hours before your flight to check-in and have a boarding pass issued. Most airlines at that time will request that you provide the additional information such as birthday and gender. Although small differences between your ID and boarding pass shouldn't be problematic right now, consistency will help minimize your time in line. My best advice for traveling during the holiday is smile and take a big dose of patience and things will go just fine.

You can save money this year by shipping your luggage by UPS instead of taking it to the airport –

Most airlines (except Southwest Airlines) will charge you as much as $15-$30 to ship each piece of checked-in luggage. You might be surprised to find out that many times it is cheaper to send your bags by UPS versus paying the airlines to check them on the plane. I asked Misha in our office to call UPS and find out what it costs to ship a 30 pound package from Omaha to Dallas and Boston. The 4 business day rate using your own packaging is $17.99 (Dallas) and $27.36 (Boston) to send a 30 pound package by UPS. Combine the cost of checking in your luggage with the hassle factor of carrying all those bags through the airport and having to unwrap your gifts for security and you may agree with me that sending your luggage by UPS may be the best thing you do to make your travels hassle free.

Flu-shot kiosks being set up at airports for people to busy travelers –

Travelers will now be able to get their flu shots on the go following the opening of several flu shot kiosks by Chicago-based medical organization Flu-ease. This year, Flu-ease and a local medical facility have teamed up to open gate-side kiosks in 10 airport sites from New York to San Francisco. This makes a lot of sense for business travelers who are on the go and can't take the time to schedule a shot.

Nebraska Football Big 12 Championship Tour -

Are you ready for some football? – Executive Travel is now taking reservations for the Big 12 Championship game to be held in Dallas on Saturday, December 5. Our 3 day-2 night tour features a charter flight, 2 nights hotel at the official team hotel, game tickets, transfers, Husker huddle tickets and much more. Call our office today 402-435-8888 and find out all the information or visit our web site www.executivetravel.com.
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Two vintage football helmets and three signed program covers are up for auction this week.

Bid on Vintage Autographed 1962 Helmets, Signed Program Covers

Looking for that perfect holiday gift for mom or dad or grandma or grandpa ... or both? Huskers.com is offering something that longtime Husker fans will cherish forever ... vintage 1962 Nebraska football helmets signed by Husker players, coaches and staff who returned to Lincoln this fall to celebrate Nebraska's NCAA record 300th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium.

The first game in the ongoing record sellout streak was against Missouri on Nov. 3, 1962. On September 26th this season, Nebraska players wore throwback uniforms for the 300th sellout game against Louisiana Lafayette. The NU Athletic Department honored the former players, coaches and staff who were part of that game with a special reunion celebration that weekend. Reunion participants consider these helmets treasured possessions, and now four helmets just like them have been made available to Big Red fans on Huskers.com.

Two of the four helmets are being auctioned off this week. Bidding for each helmet begins at $300 with minimum incremental bids of $25. Bidding will end for one helmet at 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 24. Bidding for other helmet will end at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 24.
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